


Afterglow

by sweeterthankarma



Series: Pride Month Prompts 2020 [1]
Category: Black Mirror (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, Hated in the Nation, Post-Canon, s3e6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24498337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweeterthankarma/pseuds/sweeterthankarma
Summary: Karin thinks she’s had more than her necessary fill of technology, potentially enough to last a lifetime and then some. So when she receives a hologram invitation in her email inbox, she has half a mind to trash it without even viewing, her finger already hovering to swipe left and select “delete.”She opens it to find that it’s from Blue. That possibility alone was the only reason she ever hesitated in the first place.
Relationships: Blue Coulson/Karin Parke
Series: Pride Month Prompts 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769956
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	Afterglow

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Pride Month and welcome to my first ever month-long fic challenge! For thirty days, I'll be writing and posting LGBTQ+ fics inspired by the prompts listed [here](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/517562182177703635/). (This is a 2017 prompt table but I didn't realize until I'd already begun writing, oops! The 2020 version is [here](https://www.writerswrite.co.za/30-writing-prompts-for-june-2020/) for anyone who'd like to take part.) These fics will be anywhere from 100-1,500 words, will be for different fandoms, ships and characters, and will all stand alone. This is certainly going to be a challenge for me as I'm quite a perfectionist and like to take my time with my fics, and honestly I probably shouldn't have even taken this on because I already have countless works in progress, but I was inspired by [Val_Creative's](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1378456) fic challenges and wanted to try it out myself. Here goes nothing! 
> 
> Day 1 Prompt: Hologram. This fic takes place in a world after canon, where the truth about what Blue and Karin had accomplished comes out and they're adjusting to their new lives.

Karin thinks she’s had more than her necessary fill of technology, potentially enough to last a lifetime and then some. So when she receives a hologram invitation in her email inbox, she has half a mind to trash it without even viewing, her finger already hovering to swipe left and select “delete.”

She opens it to find that it’s from Blue. That possibility alone was the only reason she ever hesitated in the first place.

Blue stands before her, her body the length of Karin’s index finger and soaked in silver-blue light, created by tiny atoms of a science Karin doesn’t understand. Blue’s not animated but she’s not herself either, instead her image is something in between; not quite real, not quite fake. Karin adjusts the volume on the side panel of her tablet, making not-Blue’s voice sound louder in her otherwise empty bedroom, and Karin stops herself from marveling too much at the scene unfolding before her.

It’s cool, but not that cool. She knows all too well where sciences like this can lead people. So does Blue. A voice in the back of her head warns that this isn’t a good idea for either of them to even entertain. Better to be safe than sorry. 

“So,” Blue begins, voice muffled in that way that voices always are when they’re being transmitted through automation. “Isn’t this cool? I’ve never done this before. Never received one or sent one, though the company is letting me do both for a discount because...well, you know.”

Blue trails off. _Because I caught Scholes,_ she means to say. _Killed him, just like he killed all 387,036 people and counting._

Not-Blue straightens her shoulders, looks at the space before her with more intent. She and Karin don’t talk much about what they went through together. They ignore it as much as they can, as much as they should in order to preserve their sanity. The rest of the world is talking about it, praising their names and changing their raucous protests to resolved gratitude, and though the truth feels freeing, it’s all too much to handle sometimes. Most of the time, actually.

“So, this is an invitation,” mini-Blue says. “Clearly. And I’ve already got mine, as I’m already here, so I’m just the messenger.”

Blue looks away to someone that must be standing near her, likely conducting the hologram or observing her to make sure that she doesn’t step out of viewing bounds. She gives a little shrug of her shoulders and cracks a smile before turning back to the camera, to Karin, and saying candidly, “I don’t know how to do this!”

Karin’s lips rise up into a smile. She thinks to press it down and decides against it. It’s nice to see Blue act like a real person, to exist outside of fear and urgency.

Blue tells her that they’ve been invited to a gala of someone named Neil Gattaway, the CEO of a company Karin’s never heard of but probably should know, all things considered. Holograms are the new craze, after all, but she’s been avoiding the news, staying away from any and every form of media besides her email account and text messages— and of course cute dog videos, because she’s only human.

The message ends shortly after Blue shares the details of the event. Filing the video away, Karin texts Blue: _“you sure that hologram was legit? No one forced you at gunpoint to do that to hack into my software or something?”_ She’s only half kidding.

Blue texts back a speedy _“nope.”_ The box indicating her typing pops up and dissipates, then repeats, until Karin gets another message, obviously hesitant.

_“Just proof of the things I’d do to see you in a little black dress.”_

Karin flushes bright red, watches the color fade in and out of her cheeks as she meets her own gaze in the mirror across the room. Only once her heartbeat has steadied out does she stand and start to conjure up an outfit. 

* * *

Karin’s dress does end up being black. She feels a bit like she owes it to Blue. She hasn’t dressed up in months, and walking around the ballroom with a champagne glass in hand certainly isn’t normal for her, but it’s making her feel a bit more human.

“You haven’t even been getting takeaway?” Blue asks, a little stunned when Karin tells her how much time she’s spent at home.

“What can I say?” Karin replies, “I like my own cooking. Family recipes never fail me.”

It’s a bit strange to be with Blue and not talk about ADI or Scholes, but the brief taste of normalcy doesn’t last long. They’re here to talk up their story, to retell their experiences, and that’s exactly what they do.

The entire event becomes draining very early on. Karin suddenly remembers why she doesn’t attend things like this, but every time she glances over to meet Blue’s eyes from across the room and recognizes a glint that’s just barely there— and she can practically read her mind, know she’s thinking “god, fuck these guys and the way they pretend to care, thank god we’re getting free booze”— she finds it all a bit more bearable.

The dancing isn’t half bad either. Blue has to drag her out, but it’s all faux reluctance from Karin. She settles into the movements easily, holds Blue’s soft hands in her own and dares herself to not look away from her eyes. They’re darker than Karin remembers but still remarkably light, blue and piercing but soft, staring right back at her. Unwavering. Blue doesn’t look away, doesn’t show any shyness when someone bumps into her and pushes her closer towards Karin.

The song changes into something more upbeat, but neither of them move. They sway as people move past them, and Karin surprises herself when she doesn’t even reach for the champagne tray on its next round, doesn’t even really think about it. 

“Maybe sometime I could take you up on your home cooking,” Blue says, referring back to their earlier conversation.  
Even without the alcohol, Karin feels brave. Feels like she can start over.

“You could take me up on a lot of things,” she responds. 

Blue twirls her, slow and steady, like a guarantee that she will. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi and celebrate pride month with me on Tumblr [here!](https://sweeterthankarma.tumblr.com/)


End file.
